Interesting Website...Money, Money,Money, Who has the Money?

http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/overview.php?type=W&year=2007&filter=S

I found this website... OpenSecrets.Org ... that tracks lots of stuff about our elected officials including their estimated net worth.

I was interested in finding out more about how much our elected officials are worth after reading an article on Yahoo News about Daschle's income.

Go to the following site to read the article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090203/ap_on_an/obama_cutting_losses_analysis_1

Analysis: Daschle debacle humbles Obama API

"Daschle had more status and clout in Washington, with many senators considering him a friend and mentor. But his money problems were bigger than Geithner's.

Daschle belatedly paid $128,203 in taxes and $11,964 in interest. He also had been paid $5.2 million over two years by industries eager for good relations with the government."

Okay Daschle made $5.2 million in a couple of years for what appears to be lobbying...not as much as "Rambo" Emanuel who made over $18 million in a couple of years working in the financial market. Neither of these men discovered the fountain of youth or invented the asprin. They just parlayed thier Washington influence into millions. Nice job if you can get it.

By the way the Republicans are normally portrayed as being the "fat cats"...according to OpenSecrets.Org of the top ten richests Senators seven of them are Democrats. Actually, the top 7 richest Senators are all Dems with John Kerry topping the list with average net worth of $336 million and coming in number 10 is Elizabeth Dole with average net worth of $31 million. (2007 report)

Also in the 2007 reports ... the poorest are listed. Interestingly the 24 poorest House reps have either a zero networth or a negative net worth. How does that work?

Anyway the site is interesting.